Switch-operating mechanism



Oct. 27, 1925; 1,558,712

P. B. PARKS ET AL I SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Original Filed May 19. 1923 3 shut l a 2 1 5 1 [A] L l3 L I" #111 P. B. PARKS ET AL SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM orlzlnal Flled May 19 1923 3 sheets shut 2 I "00mm WWW-mu", 1 7 a 7 h I L 110 I L a w 1' t I a r 4 "iilh: i

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Oct. 27, 1925. 1,558,712

P. B. PARKS El AL SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Original Filed May 19. 23 3 sheetb'shut 3 f 5 f 'l I 115 14 1 123' i 10/ H w I 1,

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TI; I 112 11/; o r 12 f'" ,SQ! I P 15/8: l M Mu 8'1 1 I I il L J Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL 1!. PARKS, OF OAK PARK, AND JOHN VAN VULPE-N, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, As-

SIGN'ORS To VAPOR CAR HEATING coMPANY, INC., on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Original application filed May 19, 1923, Serial No. 640,133. Divided and this application filed April 18, 1924. Serial No. 707,434.

To all 20-710mt may concern Be it known that we, PAUL B. PARKS and JOHN VAN VULPEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Oak Park, Illinois, and Chicago, Illinois, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-0perating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. A

Our invention relates to mechanism for giving intermittent movements of rotation alternately in opposite directions to a revoluble element, for example, to the stem or spindle of a valve, such as is used in the car heating system disclosed in our c0- pending application Serial N 0. 640,133 tiled May 19, 1923, of which application this application is a division. The invention contemplates the employment of two alternately energized electric motors, solenoids, for example, for giving the spindle its rotations in opposite directions, and of a limit switch operated by the movements of said spindle for breaking the circuit through each solenoid as soon as the movement-of the valve produced by the energization of that solenoid has been accomplished.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide certain improvements in a circuit breaker of this type to the end that the device may be more durable, reliable and eiiicient in its operation than devices of this type heretofore used.

A further object is to improve generally upon the mechanism by which the desired movements of the valve or other revoluble element are accomplished.

The invention is illustrated, in certain preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of the valve operating mechanism with the cover orhousing plate in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line of Fig. 1.

Fig. & is a detail side view of the valve stem operating lever modified to provide for adjustment.

Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, embodying the form of operating lever shown in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View il1ustrating a modified and preferred form of brush for the limit switch.

Referring to the drawings, B designates the valve as a whole, the casing of which is indicated by numeral v and the revoluble valve body by numeral 51. The valve body is provided with a stem 7 2 suitably engaged with said valve body so that the two rotate together. Stem 72 is formed at its upper end with a portion 97 which is approximately square in cross section but with one surface 98 slightly curved. To this part of the stem is fixed a lever F formed with a boss 99 having an opening corresponding to the shape of the portion 97 of the valve stem. This boss is split at 100 and is clamped to the stem by a screw 101. The rounded surface 98 on the stem and the corresponding surface on the lever are to insure a proper angular position as between the valve and its operating lever in assembling the parts. The lever F has a bulging portion 102 with curved edges 103, 104. This part of the lever lies between a pair of collars 105, 106 on the common core E of two solenoid coils C and D. The coils, core and other mechanism to be described, located on the top of the valve, are contained in a housing 107 which comprises a removable cover plate 108 having an opening at 109 for the outer end 110 of the lever F, which lever projects out of the housing over a plate 111 bearing the legends On and Off. In case of emergency the lever F may be turned by hand.

-Vl1en coil C is energized and the coreE is drawn in this direction, it is the part of the collar 106 most remote from the axis of the valve spindle which, during the first part of the movement of the core, bears against the lever F. This means that the leverage for rotating the valve is greatest during the first part of the travel of the core. This is important because it requires more power to start the valve than to turn it after its movement has been initiated, and because the power which the solenoid can exert at the beginning of the movement of the core is less than the power exerted near the end of the travel of the core. As the core moves into the coil C the point of bearing between the collar 106 and the lever F shifts to the other side of the collar so that when-the core is moved'in theotherdirection by coi1.D 'theileverage will ibeat a maxi mum during the initial movements of the core,-that isto say,-collar will engage the lever at a point as ,remote ,as possib le from the axis of rotation of the valve.

Coils C and D are energized alternately and a limit switch is provided for shutting off current from the energized coil as soon as the .valve movement. produced bysaid. coil is complete. This limit switch :is constructed as follows: 112, 113 are a pair of insulating blocks secured by bolts 114 to the portions 115, 116of the housing enclosingcoilsO and D respectively. 'On the top of block 112 is a contact plate 117 provided with adownturne-d flange 118 for a securing bolt 119, The contact spring29, the endof which is V-shaped as shown in Fig.

2, is'secured -to-the plate 117-by screw 120,

the rear-edge of the spring being bent over 'the'edgeofthe cont-act plate 117, as indicated at 121, and fitte'd into recess-in the block. Another contactplate 122 is secured to the upper face of block 112 by screws 123, 124 which serve-as binding posts for electrical connections to be-describe'd. To the bottom of block 112-is secured a'contact plate 125 similar to plate 117 and to thisplate is secured by screwl26' the spring contact 31 having'an upwardly bentportion as shown in Fig. -2. IGontact'plates 127,

128, corresponding to contactplates117, 122,

are secured to the'upper face'of block 113 and thecontact spring 33 is fastened iby screw 129totheplate' 127-. The movable circuit, breaking element of the limit switch consists of a cylindrical body 3O formed with a pair of studs or stems 1'31 adapted to extend, rotatably into perforations 132 ofthe'blocks 112, 113. The circuit breaking member is formed with *a A circumferential groove 1-33, the side faces 1340f which are pr-eferablybeveled as shown in Fig. 2.

"The contact spring 31' bears-against the circuit breaker 30in all positions ofthe latter. The circuit breaking member 3 0'is adapted to contact alternately with springs 29 and 33- 'as said memberis moved back and forth between sa d blocks. For effecting tll'lS movement of the circuit 'breakermember 30,

blade 135 v of' insulating material 1 is secured by screwsf1-36 1n the bifurcated end 137 of the lever F. This -blade projects into the groove 13,3 of member -30. so that when the lever F is given ail-angular movement-the blade imparts to the circuit breaking men ber a longitudinal movement and also 'a certain' amount of rotation. {B this arrange ment the wear on -mov2ible contact member distributed around its entireo-uter surface and-there is a wiping engagement between the movable contact members and the spring wliich tendsto'keep allof the contact sur faces clear.

plates-127 and 128, respectively, by wires Supply -wire28 extends to binding post 123 and theends of .coil C are connected with binding post 124 by wire 28 and with ,a binding post 138 on contact plate 117 by wire 32 fire 32 is .connected to a binding post 139 on an ear 140 forme don ,the contact plate 125. lVire- 35 is connected to a bindingpost 141 on the contact plate 128 and the ends of the coil D are connected to binding posts 142, 143 011 ,the contact 32 and 35. The wires leading into the lions ing may be enclosed in a pipe 144 threaded into a coupling 145;secured to the casing of the valve.

Aimodification in respectlto-the construction of the operating lever 'isillustratedin Figs. 4 and 5, in which 146'is-the valve-stem and 147 the operatinglever fiXedto-thestem by a nut 148 and lock washer 149. 150 is a member perforated at 1 51- to "fit the re duced upper end152 Ofi-hBViIlVQSlZGIH 146. The member 150 is channebshaped at-one end, as indicatedat 153, to receive the blade 154 of insulating inaterial' adapted to-en- ,gagethe circumferential groove in the mov- "able element-of the circuit breaker. The

other end of member 150 is formed with a slot 155 through which projects a setscrew 156 whereby the angular posit-ion of the member 150 on member 147'II12LY be adjusted.

Fig. 6"shows a modified formo'f upper brush for the limit switch. The -brush cousistsof a plate 158 having a dowuturned arm 159- to I bear against theside of the cy- =lindrical switch-member 30, the arm 'l59- being formed-with aeforwardly project-ingdefleet-ed lip 160 and a rearwardly projecting-lug 161 adapted to enter a slot in the block 118 --to which the brush issecured, the lug-161 serving by its engagement with the block'to keep the -arm'159 in spring contact with the switch member30.

'The construction of the valve forms no part of the invention herein claimed, being the subject matter of' a co-pending application filed April318, 1924, Serial No. 7 07 ,435.

Operation.

' "lVith-thepartsof the circnit breaker in the positions shown in Fig. :1 and 2, the

29 and movable member 30. \Vhen the valve 18 to be given movement of rotation in the opposite direction the circuit 1s closed between wires 35 and 32 and similar movements take place, as just described, but in the opposite directions. The character of the engagement between blade 135 and circuit breaker 30 produces a rotary movement of the latter as well as longitudinal movement. This distributes the wear on member 30 besides producing rubbing or wiping movements as between member 30 and the contact springs, which movements tend to. keep the contact surfaces clean. The modification of Fig. 6 provides for maintaining a certain pressure as between the contact spring and movable member 30. The arrangements of'Figs. 4 and 5 permit an adjustment of the operating blade 135 independent of the angular position of the lever which is a matter of convenience in assembly of the parts of the apparatus.

Ve claim: 1. Incombination with a rotary member, a lever carried by said member and a circuit breaker comprising a fixed contact, a revolubly mounted longitudinally movable cylindrical contact, and means on said lever which engages said movable contact so as to revolve it while moving it longitudinally. 2. In combination with a rotary member, a lever carried by said member and a circuit breaker comprising a fixed contact, a revolubly mounted longitudinally movable cylindrical contact having a transverse groove therein, and a blade on said lever which projects into said groove so that angular movements of the leverimpart longitudinal and rotary movement to the movable contact.

3. In combination with a rotary member, a lever carried by said member and a circuit breaker comprising a fixed spring contact, a revoluably mounted longitudinally movable cylindrical, contact, and means on said lever which engages said movable contact so as to revolve it while moving it longitudinally.

l. In combination with a rotary member, a lever carried by said member and a circuit breaker comprising a fixed spring contact, a revolubly mounted longitudinally movable cylindrical contact arranged at sub stantially right angles to the lever atthe middle position of the latter, said movable contact being formed with a transverse circumferential groove, and a blade on the lever to extend into said groove.

5. In combination with a rotary member, a lever carried by the member and a circuit breaker comprising spaced spring contacts, a cylindrical contact mounted so as to be revoluble and movable longitudinally into and out of engagement with said fixed contacts two at a time and formed with a transverse circumferential groove having beveled side faces, and a blade on said lever to projectinto said groove for imparting longitudinal and rotary movements to said movable contacts.

6. In combination with a rotary member, a lever carried by the member and a circuit breaker comprising spaced spring contacts, a cylindrical contact mounted so as to be revoluble and movable longitudinally into and out of engagement with said fixed contacts two at a time and formed with a transverse circumferential groove having beveled side faces, a blade on said lever to project into said groove for imparting longitudinal and rotary movements to said movable contacts, a pair of solenoids for rotating said rotary member and shifting said movable contact, and a common core for said solenoids provided with spaced collars be tween which said lever extends, the lever being formed bet-ween said collars with an enlargement having curved edges whereby at each valve movement the part of the collar most remote from the axis of rotation of the valve bears against the lever initially.

7. A circuit breaker comprising a fixed contact, a revoluble and longitudinally movable contact formed with a circumferential groove and a lever transversely arranged with respect to the movable contact for moving the latter into and out of engagement with the fixed contact having a member which enters said groove.

8. A circuit breaker comprising a fixed contact, a revoluble and longitudinally movable contact formed with a pair of opposite conical surfaces, and a lever transversely arranged with respect to the movable con tact having a member to engage said conical surfaces for imparting longitudinal and rotary movements to said movable contact.

9. A circuit breaker comprising spaced, fixed spring contacts, a revoluble and longitudinally movable contact adapted to engage with said spring contacts two at a time and formed with a circumferential groove having beveled sides, and a lever transversely arranged with respect to said movable contact, having a member which enters said groove and engages the beveled sides of said groove.

lit)

10. A circuit breaker comprising a longitudinally movable contact, a spring contact which bears against the movable contact in all positions of the latter, a pair of spaced spring contacts which bear upon the movable contact, one when the movable contact is in one of its extreme positions and the other when the movable contact is in the other extreme position, and means for imparting longitudinal and rotary movements to the movable contact.

1]. A circuit breaker comprising av longitudinally movable'contact, a, spring contact all positions of the latter, a pair of spaced spring contacts Which bear .upon the m0v-- able contact, one when the Jnovablccontact is in one of its extreme positions and the other when the movable contact is in the other extreme position, said movable contact being rotatably mount-ed and formed with a circumferential groove, ,and -a lever having a-member Whiclrengages the ,groove to impart longitudinal movement to said movable contact. I i

12. A circnitgbrealrer comprising a longitudinally movable. contact, a spring-contact .Which bears against the movablecontact in a l po t ns th la er, emai o spaced spring contacts which bear ,upon the inovable contact, one hen the movable contact is in one of its extreme positions and the other when the movable contact in the other extreme position, said movable contact being rotatably mounted and formed Ywith a circumferential groove, and a lever havinga member vwhich engages the groove to impart movements to said movable contact.

13. A circuit'breakercomprising a longitudinally niovable contact, a spring contact which :bears against the ,movablercont act in all positions ofthe latter, a pairof spaced sprinlg contactswvhich bear upon the movable contact, one vwhen the niovable contact is in one of its extreme positions and the other when the movable contact is in ,the

other extreme position, said movable contact being ,rotatably mounted and formed with a circumferential groove, a lever and a member angularly adjustable onsaid lever which engages said grooveito impart move ments to said ;l11OY2Lbl6 C0l1 taGt. i

{1.4. A circuit breaker comprising a longitudinally movable contact, a }pair of spaced contacts against which the novahle contact is brought to bear at oppositeends of its travel, respectively, a lever, and .an angularly adjustable member ,on said lever to engage ;theh1ovable contact for imparting movements .tov the same. i

15.,A circuit hreakerco nprisinga rotat- F able and longitudinally movable contact formed with-a circumferential,grOOVQ,:ihPi of spaced contacts against which said inov able contact is brought ,to bear atopposite endsof its travel, .respectively,za lever, and an .angularly adjustable ,member on said lever to engage the movable contact for imparting movements to the same.

PAUL 5B. BARKE; H VAN W LREN. 

